Students

LING214 – Introduction to Psycholinguistics

2019 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Tutor
Caroline Moir
Contact via Email
By appointment
Tutor
Thembi Dube
Contact via Email
By appointment
Tutor
Luke Mills
Contact via Email
By appointment
Administration
Margaret Wood
Contact via Email or Phone 9850-8740
12 SW 502
Co-convenor
Linda Cupples
Contact via Email
AHH, Level 3 North, Room 517
By appointment (until 9th August)
Margaret Wood
Linda Cupples
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
LING110 or LING111 or [(PSY104(P) or PSYC104) and (PSY105(P) or PSYC105)]
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
PSY238
Unit description Unit description
This unit introduces a psychological perspective into the study of language. We explore models of the perceptual and cognitive processes that are involved in acquiring and using linguistic knowledge, considering evidence from typical language users and people with language disorders. Specific topics include: word recognition and understanding; sentence comprehension; language production; aphasia; skilled reading and reading development; acquired and developmental reading disorders; acquired spelling disorders; and first language acquisition.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask
  • Identify the methods of data collection that psycholinguists use
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

General Assessment Information

Assignment Submission

Please note that all assignments (assessments 1 to 3 above) must be submitted electronically via the LING214 iLearn website by midnight on the due date. 

Tutorial Attendance

Although no mark is assigned for participation in this unit, attendance at tutorials is expected and class rolls will be taken. Please note that the information provided to you and the activities in which you will engage during tutorial classes are directly related to successful completion of assessment tasks 1 to 3.

Late Penalties

There are several points to note in regard to late submission of assignments:

  • Late submissions without an extension will receive a penalty of 3% of the total mark available for the assessment task per day including weekend days (i.e. this is 3% of the total marks possible for the task – NOT 3% of the marks the student received. For example, if the assessment task is worth 100 marks and the student is two days late their mark for the task is reduced by 6 marks.)
  • Late submission of an assessment task without an extension will not be accepted at all after the date on which marked assessment tasks have been released to the rest of the class. Any student with unsubmitted work at this date will receive a mark of 0 for the assessment task.
  • Extensions will only be given in special circumstances, and can be requested by completing the Special Consideration request at ask.mq.edu.au and providing the requisite supporting documentation.
  • Extensions that will result in submissions after the assessment task has been returned to the class will require a separate assessment task to be completed at the unit convenor's discretion.
  • For more information on Special Consideration, see the university website https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration\
  • If a student fails the unit due to non-submission of an assignment or non-attendance at an exam, an FA grade will be applied in accordance with the University's Assessment Policy.
  • Unit convenors have the discretion to determine whether or not students should fail a unit on the basis of lateness penalties alone if other learning outcomes of the unit have been met.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assessment 1 20% No Thursday 5 September
Assessment 2 5% No Thursday 10 October
Assessment 3 30% No Thursday 31 October
Assessment 4 45% No Exam period

Assessment 1

Due: Thursday 5 September
Weighting: 20%

A written critique of a published research paper. The paper to be critiqued for this assignment will be made available to students in week 2. The critique should be a maximum of 1,000 words (double-spaced and printed in a 12-point font with 2.54 cm margins). The word limit includes in-text referencing but does not include the title page or the reference list at the end.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask
  • Identify the methods of data collection that psycholinguists use
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder

Assessment 2

Due: Thursday 10 October
Weighting: 5%

A brief outline of the structure and content of the introduction to your research report (a maximum of two double-spaced A4 pages, submitted on the template provided). The outline should contain: (1) four topic sentences, one for each paragraph of the introduction; (2) a clear statement of the hypotheses; and (3) a list of 3 or 4 references you intend to incorporate in your final report. Note that you will receive 5% of your mark in the unit for submitting this assignment. Class-based formative feedback will be provided in the lecture and tutorials in the week following submission. Individual feedback will not be provided.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask

Assessment 3

Due: Thursday 31 October
Weighting: 30%

A research report based on a class experiment. The data for this assignment will be made available to students by week 8. The report should be a maximum of 2,400 words (double-spaced and printed in a 12-point font with 2.54 cm margins). The word limit includes in-text referencing but does not include the reference list at the end, nor the tables and figures, abstract, title page or appendices.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask
  • Identify the methods of data collection that psycholinguists use
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues

Assessment 4

Due: Exam period
Weighting: 45%

A closed-book, end-of-year, multiple-choice exam covering both lecture and tutorial content.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Delivery and Resources

Classes

Lectures: Students attend one 2-hour lecture per week for this unit, which is scheduled for Mondays from 2 pm to 4 pm in PG Price Theatre, 23 Wallys Walk. The lecture programme is outlined in this guide.

Tutorials: There is one 1-hour tutorial per week for this unit. Tutorials begin in the second week of semester and run until week 13 (which is a reading and revision week). Eight optional tutorial times are offered as indicated below.

Note: Students will be able to access the recording of the lecture through iLearn, but are expected to attend tutorial classes, which relate directly to successful completion of assessment tasks 1 to 3. 

Tutorial Options      
Day Start Time Room Tutor
Tuesday 10 am 4 Western Road, Tutorial Room 335 Thembi Dube
Tuesday 12 pm 29 Wally's Walk, Tutorial Room 138 Thembi Dube
Tuesday 1 pm 29 Wally's Walk, Tutorial Room 138 Caroline Moir
Tuesday 2 pm 29 Wally's Walk, Tutorial Room 138 Caroline Moir
Wednesday 11 am 29 Wally's Walk, Tutorial Room 132 Xin Wang
Wednesday 12 pm 29 Wally's Walk, Tutorial Room 132 Xin Wang
Wednesday 1 pm 4 Western Road, Tutorial Room 213 Caroline Moir
Wednesday  2 pm 17 Wally's Walk, Tutorial Room 236 Luke Mills

Required and recommended texts and/or materials

The prescribed text for this unit is: Harley, T. A. (2014). The psychology of language: From data to theory (4th edition). Hove, East Sussex: Psychology Press Ltd. It is available in hardcover, paperback, or a Kindle edition. One electronic copy of this text is available in the library reserve section.

See the unit website for details of other required readings for tutorials and assessment exercises.

Unit web page

The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au

Technologies used and required

  • Word processing for completing assignments 1 to 3; internet access (for downloading lecture and tutorial materials and for uploading assignments).
  • No other technologies.

Changes since last offering

  • There have been no major substantive changes to the unit since its last offering. 

 

Unit Schedule

 

 

Week Lecture Topic

Textbook Chapter

1 What is psycholinguistics? Course outline. 1-3
2 Language comprehension: Recognising words 6
3 Language comprehension: Understanding words 11
4 Language comprehension: Understanding sentences 10, 12
5 Language comprehension: Understanding sentences 10, 12
6 Language development (Assessment 1 due Thursday this week) 4
7 Language production, typical and disordered 13
   Mid-semester Break (2 weeks)  
8 Research report: Background and statistics N/A
9 Public Holiday (Assessment 2 due Thursday this week) N/A
10 Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition 5
11 Bilingualism and Second Language Acquisition 5
12 Revision (Assessment 3 due Thursday this week) N/A
13 Reading Week (no lecture, tutorial only) N/A

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment 3

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 3
  • Assessment 4

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 3

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask
  • Identify the methods of data collection that psycholinguists use
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 3
  • Assessment 4

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment 3
  • Assessment 4

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Recognise the kinds of questions that psycholinguists ask
  • Identify the methods of data collection that psycholinguists use
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment 3

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe and evaluate theories and research in psycholinguistics
  • Critically analyse empirical research articles in psycholinguistics.
  • Interpret empirical data in relation to theoretical questions/issues
  • Analyse language and reading disorder

Assessment tasks

  • Assessment 1
  • Assessment 2
  • Assessment 3
  • Assessment 4

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Identify the methods of data collection that psycholinguists use
  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse language and reading disorder
  • Evaluate psycholinguistic theories of typical language processing using data from people with disordered language

Changes since First Published

Date Description
19/07/2019 An extra tutorial has been added, and a slight change has been made in the order of lectures.